At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a new type of eating utensil that enables users to comfortably manipulate food without the user's fingers coming into direct contact with the food. People often decide against eating foods such as chicken wings and barbequed pork ribs in order to avoid getting sauce on their hands and potentially their clothing. Even when conditions are acceptable for eating messy foods, people tend to avoid touching anything while their hands have sauce on them thereby precluding them from consuming beverages until they have finished eating the entire serving and have cleaned their hands. An additional benefit afforded by this device is the reduced likelihood of spreading disease causing viruses and bacteria. Thus, with this type of device there are also sanitation concerns that are addressed because now the user does not have direct contact with the food being handled except for directly eating the food instead of touching the food.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,423 to Romero discloses a food gripper utensil. This food gripper utensil does not contain more than two limbs. Other patents that may generally relate include U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,270 to DeYoung et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,501,191 to L. Darr; U.S. Pat. No. 7,287,791 to Carolina; U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,130 to Oretti; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,734 to Krieger. U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,928 to Wong, U.S. Pat. No. 1,156,459 to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,488 to Ordonez, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,728 to Warthen.
It is believed that the above art does not disclose a food handling device having at least three limbs and that is gripped along the center-line of the limbs of the utensil and is held by compression of the user's fingers against the limbs of the utensil which tend to flex into the open position.